Friday, November 27, 2009

One funny thing I forgot to tell you is that while we were sailing up here Peter picked up one of the towels we keep in the cockpit and something big ran out of it – he thought it was a spider and got an awful fright but it turned out to be a crab!!

DAY 213 – Saturday 21 November - Pangkor IslandStarting to get a little rolly. The boat towing the blow up banana has been going round - all the young lady uni students wear long trousers and their scarves in the water. We went around to the little island today where we have seen the students snorkelling (they all wear their water vests) and saw lots of little fish which they feed. We then rowed around the other side and landed on a little beach which was a little grubby – couldn’t see the attraction!! It started to rain in the evening and it was pretty rough but we decided to go ashore anyway. Had an exhilarating ride surfing the waves to shore. Just as we got there we got hit with a big wave and I got a soaked butt and Peter almost fell over backwards. The place was abuzz with all the local eating places – had a fantastic meal and it was a great night.

DAY 214 – Sunday 22 November – Pangkor Island to Paulu Talang04°25.81N 100°34.757EWoke to a really rolly day and at 11am decided it was untenable so upanchored with Aurelia and headed for Paulu Talang – about 12 miles away. After a bit of to-ing and fro-ing ended up anchored in 20m of water but it was very still and calm and slept really well till 3am.Miles: 12 Total: 5,267

DAY 215 – Monday 23 November – Paulu Talang – Paulu Jerejak05°18.671N 100°18.112EAt 3am the boat started jerking and making the most awful grinding noise and we realised the anchor chain had wrapped around a rock and everytime the boat went up the chain jerked us back down. Needless to say we did not get any more sleep and at first light we tried to get it off. After a bit of to-ing and fro-ing it finally gave – we had visions of losing all of our chain and anchor too so much relief! Left at 7am and motored all day in calm seas. The Raymarine (new) auto pilot stopped working (again) so Peter had to get the old one out and get it working again. We heard that Kristie and Whistle had left Lumut at 5am so were two hours behind us. Late in the evening the weather came up a bit and so did Kristie! And they passed us and headed for Georgetown marina. We managed to get a bit of sailing in and headed to Jerejak island anchoring at 6.15pm – a very long day. During the day Peter counted in excess of 70 fishing boats with nets just in the one place so it was a day of constant vigilance. We picked Stephen and Tina up (Aurelia) in our dinghy and went to shore for dinner. Saw some Malaysians with a good meal so they came over and told us what to order and also bought us some satays so we could taste their cuisine – really nice. Towards the end of the meal I noticed something under the table and it was a sleeping cat – been there the whole time and as we walked back to our dinghy we saw a big rat! Food was fantastic though!Miles: 62 Total: 5,329

DAY 216 – Tuesday 24 November – Paulu Jerejak to Tanjong City Marina, Georgetown05°24.857N 100°20.632EWe hadn’t booked into the marina but Kristie 1 managed to get us a berth beside them so we upanchored at 9.15am and headed up the river under the mighty Penang bridge avoiding a huge net right across the waterway and made it into the marina at 10.50am and had lots of hands to take our lines. Dell nearly hit an anchored ship on the way in – went about 5m away from it – just forgot it was there!!!! (you know that ad – charter boat, what charter boat!!). Kristie had been allocated four different berths and moved twice so refused to move again and said Pacific Express could have the next berth so we got a really good one. Tanjong City Marina is beside the ferry terminal and is just floating jetties so the swell can come in pretty badly and they try to stagger the masts so they don’t hit! Hasnt been that bad while we have been in here, in fact it has been pretty good really. Went for a walk through Little India and had Indian for dinner.

DAY 217 – Wednesday 25 November – Tanjong City Marina, GeorgetownLazy start to the day. Peter finished his book and we went to the bus station next door and bought a one week bus passport for 20rn ($7). Caught the bus to Tesco shopping centre but it went all around the back streets and took an hour and a half so caught a taxi back (7 mins). Sundowners on Whistle.

DAY 218 – Thursday 26 November – Tanjong City Marina, GeorgetownWalked to the Cornwall Fort and found the 5 star Eastern and Oriental Hotel and had a general walk around town. Ate about 3.30pm in a Chinese place across the road from the marina. Food is all at the front – fresh fish, bugs etc. No menu – you go to the front and choose what you want then sit out the back watching them continually washing the cement floor in their gum boots. Meal was very good though - $7 for two!!! Had sundowners on our boat.

DAY 219 – Friday 27 November – Tanjong city Marina, GeorgetownStayed on board all day catching up on the blog and generally cleaning up. Have now put all the photos on starting back at week 18 (except for Jack’s). It has been a lazy week really – Peter has finished another book and we are really starting to wind down.

Just a little snippet - when you buy alcohol in the supermarket here there is a sign which says “ it is illegal to sell alcohol to people under 18 and to Muslims”.

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Deepest sympathy to Peter, Elaine and family on the loss of Joan. Our thoughts are with you.

DAY 206 - Saturday 14 November - Malacca to Port Dixon02°28.64N 101°50.72EWe left with Kristie 1 at 7.20am and Cilantro caught us up. Whistle Down the Wind decided to stay. Started off motoring then the wind came up and we were sailing along at 7 knots - even hit 8.3 knots at one point - flying!!! Could see the rain and hoped it would pass us by but not to be - torrential rain and seas building. We had intended to anchor off and not go into the marina at Port Dickson but because of the deteriorating conditions we went into the marina. Geoff (Wave Sweeper) and Mike (Cheshire Cat) came out in the rain and helped tie our lines up along a long jetty. We were all soaked to the skin and then we helped Sisu and Cyan come in. The building was kind of colonial style and had a beautiful swimming pool and the best showers. We met for happy hour and then ate at the bistro upstairs. Serannity came in. They had anchored off the previous night but about 11.30pm could hear a big commotion and found themselves surrounded by fisherman with a net caught around their prop! We had news that a big swell had come into the Malacca marina and kleats had been pulled out and masts were banging together and it was chaos!Miles 37 Total 5,107

DAY 207 - Sunday 15 November - Port Dickson - Port Klang03°00.18N 101°23.49EHappy Birthday little Jackie mate - miss youLeft at 7am with Kristie 1 and Sisu. Cilantro and Wave Sweeper decided to stay for another day. Motored all the way to Port Klang - weather good. Avoided a few nets. Had a two hour motor up the channel at Port Klang which is a huge busy port with huge container ships coming in and leaving, tugs waiting to catch ships and push them sideways into spaces and tugs pulling loaded ships out sideways and big boats going everywhere. The current turned against us so we put the headsail out and that helped. We finally got to the pontoon outside the Royal Selangor Yacht Club about 5pm as it started to rain. The pontoon is opposite the Club in the middle of the river with some very run down houses on the other side. Staff helped us tie up but the current goes through at a great rate of knots and carries so much flotsam and jetsom with it. Had sundowners with Kristie.Miles 49 Total 5,156

DAY 208 - Monday 16 November - Port Klang (Kuala Lumpar)Checked out the Yacht Club and walked to Port Klang. It started to rain so we caught the train to Kuala Lumpar - it cost RN4.40 ($1.60) each way and took about an hour. It poured rain. We caught a taxi to the twin towers (closed on Mondays!) (they were featured in some movie - has a bridge across between the towers) and then walked all around a very flash shopping mall - all the big name brands including Harrods. Checked out the Selangor pewter but it is still expensive. Went back down town and checked out the handbag shops - all big name copies. Peter said old men shouldn't stand on street corners - both he and Bryan were propositioned by a pimp!! We finally found the get on get off bus but it was 3pm and the tour if we didn't get off was 2 ½ hours so we decided to save it for another day. Arrived back at the Yacht club about 5.30 and Sisu was in. The menus were falling to pieces and they only had two kinds of beers - food was cheap but it certainly wasn't as flash as we had been led to believe. The boatman took us back at 8pm and we found all our fenders had popped out and we were hard up against the dock with a huge current racing. Had trouble with all of us pushing to get it off enough to put the fenders back in. Timo (Sisu) suggested we tie up our rudder and sure enough it was pushed hard over sending our back out so Peter tied it up and that helped.

DAY 209 - Tuesday 17 November - Port Klang to sea anchorage03°42.818N 100°51.468ESisu left about 7am and we noticed the current was starting to pick up so we decided to go. We were watching whole trees go flying past - so much rubbish in the water. Bryan came to help us get out but the current kept us against the pontoon and we scraped the boat all up the pontoon and we couldn't push it off. Peter stopped the boat and we gave a huge push and we finally got away at about 8am. The boatman came to help Kristie. Visibility was very bad and it took an hour or more to get out of the river. There were heaps of huge ships anchored and one came in. There was a huge fire - looked oil based with flames and black smoke which could explain the lack of visibility. There were quite a few fishing boats with nets but they all seemed to head home about 1.30. A beautiful day but no wind. Got to our anchoring spot at about 6pm and anchored in 6 metres (4m low tide). It was a few miles off shore (too shallow to get any closer) and there was a restaurant/guest house built on huge pylons further out. Seemed like we were in the middle of nowhere and so strange to have a building even further out to sea! Was a bit rocky at first but we slept really well. In fact Dell apparently slept through a huge thunderstorm with thunder and lightning! Pleased to be anchored and not out in it and much preferred to sailing at night in these waters.Miles 58 Total 5,214

DAY 210 - Wednesday 18 November - Sea anchorage to Pangkor Island04°13.871N 100°32.449EWe upanchored at 7.45am after a surprisingly comfortable night. So strange to be in the middle of nowhere. We motored all day - changed course a few times to miss what we thought were nets - little flags everywhere but we think they may have been crab pots or fish traps. After the terrible trouble we had getting out of Port Klang we weren't keen to go up the river to Lumut so we parted company with Kristie and they went to Lumut while we headed to the southern end of Pangkor Island. It looked pretty good but was shallow and where we could actually anchor had current and whirlpools so we headed through a channel and came up the western side and found a lovely little bay half way up the island. We were the only boat in there so anchored at 3pm and chilled out on the boat for the rest of the afternoon.Miles 41 Total 5,255

DAY 211 - Thursday 19 November - Pangkor IslandHad a late start to the day and went ashore - took lots of photos of hornbill birds and also some very cute monkeys. The town is a little seedy being one long street mostly with t-shirt shops, accommodation and touristy stuff with jungle to the beach. Quite a pretty place. We took a pink bemo and for $15 for both were taken for a tour of the island. It is 35km around and it took 2 hours. We saw where they do the boat building - large fishing boats, where they make the dried fish into packets of chips etc, a Dutch fort ruin, Indian and Chinese temples and more monkeys. He took us to places we would never have found. It poured rain in the afternoon so we are catching heaps of water for showering and washing! Went to a lovely restaurant on the beach for dinner - meal was lovely if a little bland. We are not sure if they don't eat hot and spicy here or if they think we don't like it. There are four other boats in here now - three of them French.

DAY 212 - Friday 20 November - Pangkor IslandDidn't leave the boat all day. Was so lovely to just chill out and not have to do anything. Read all day and it was just so lovely. Rained in the evening - more water!!

Sunday, November 15, 2009

DAY 199 - Saturday 7 November - Peturi HarbourPeter worked on the boat and I went to the shopping centre and had a lovely time wandering around the new large, clean, uncrowded shopping centre. They seemed to have lots of specials on - perhaps its a Saturday thing. When we returned to the marina in the afternoon there was a big affair going on. There is going to be an indoor theme park at Peturi Harbour and the Minister was there for the signing of the contract. This place is going to be huge in the future. In the evening they put on a free barbeque and free beer for us all and a great band - everyone attended and we had a great time. A fitting finish to our time at Peturi Harbour. A world class marina.

DAY 200 - Sunday 8 November - Peturi Harbaour to Palau Pisang01°21.987N 103°14.480EHappy Birthday Kate!Left at 7.20am with Cilantro and Kristie 1 and made our way back down the Strait and under the disconcerting bridge and out again with all the big ships and headed into the Malacca Strait. Motored all the way and anchored behind the Pisang Islands at 2.10pm just as the wind went the wrong direction! Whistle Down the Wind turned up about an hour later. The night was a bit rolly but it was way too hot to sleep. Had a big storm and lots of rain.Miles: 35 Total 4,991

DAY 201 - Monday 9 November - Palau Pisang to Palau Besar02°06.22N 102°19.81EWe left at 5am with Cilantro, Kristie 1 and Whistle Down the Wind in the dark but the moon was bright so we followed our track and headed up the Malacca Strait just out of the shipping lane on the Malaysian side. There were heaps of huge ships going up and down. Motored all day - avoided a few fish nets which are strung between a small boat and a flag on the other end of the net (mostly). Also becoming a little paranoid and avoiding floating thongs!!!! Anchored at 5pm at Palau Besar - the Water Islands. Absolutely beautiful spot.Miles: 69 Total 5,060

DAY 202 - Tuesday 10 November - Palau Besar to Malacca02°11.199N 102°14.472EAwoke to a beautiful day and felt like staying - the island was beautiful - we will have to keep it for another time! Upanchored at 9am and motored the entire way. The entry to the marina was very shallow. Came in on a low tide (rising) and had 0.8m under the keel. Sandra threw her line to Margaret who caught it and pulled but the line came free from the boat and Margaret nearly over balanced backwards!!! We came in beside Cilantro. Walked into town to the museum and then slowly did the shops in China town. Went into a Chinese restaurant where a lovely bossy lady told us where to sit, what we would eat and had the lot on the table within about a minute!! Chicken rice balls are a speciality it seems!! Lost the boys but found them in the Geographer's Cafe having a beer. Wandered around the streets of this most interesting town - found the oldest Buddhist temple in Malaysia then had dinner and headed back to the boats.Miles 10 Total 5,070

DAY 203 - Wednesday 12 November - MalaccaWhat a great place. Went on a trip up the river on a boat with a heap of small children then walked up to the ruins of St Paul's Church then checked out the shopping mall and then went up the spinning tower. A huge tower with a slowly spinning viewing platform that goes very high with fantastic views. This was when we found out that we are senior citizens!! The girl insisted on giving us the 3 ringett discount for being old! We revisited China town and then to the Sultan's palace - a huge wooden structure made without any nails and very interesting displays inside. Walked into the Sultan's gardens and I was within 6 inches of treading on a snake! (small and skinny but definitely a snake). At least Peter had the good grace to let me get past it before he told me!! Went back to the boat to find that all the boats had been really rolly in the swell which came in and we had broken a line. Wayne (Tequila), James (Cilantro) and Geoff (Wave Sweeper) had fixed it so we ended up having drinks on Kristie 1.

DAY 204 - Thursday 12 November - MalaccaHad a slow start to the day - went to the electric shop and the supermarket for a few supplies and caught a taxi back - $5. Took the lines for Wind Chimes when they came in and the rain has set in (it is the wet season here). We went to the Indian restaurant with Whistle, Cilantro and Kristie. They don't serve beer but the restaurant next door did so they put one of their tables out on the footpath and served us beer and we had the best tandoori chicken and curry we have ever had from the Indian restaurant next door!! They cook the tandoori on the footpath in a big tandoori oven - a great big pot. The chef just slaps the naan bread in and it sticks to the side and cooks. We had the best meal ever and with all the beers and food the lot came to $25 per couple!! A great night. We then went to a bar called Me and Mrs Jones where a man named Hawk plays the organ and piano and sings. Another man came in with a great big iguana lizard sitting on his shoulder! He talked to it and patted it - not real sure if the lizard enjoyed it as much!!! Anyway we left around 10 just as the place was starting to warm up - way past our bedtime!!!!

DAY 205 - Friday 13 November - MalaccaWent shopping then had lunch at the flash Chinese restaurant and were served by a bloke with gumboots on! Went to the night markets where they close off a few streets - it was mostly touristy stuff though I did manage to get two pairs of Birkenstock shoes for $9 & $12 each. We then went to a restaurant with the usual suspects and everyone had to borrow Jean's glasses to read the menu. After the meal Jean discovered that her bag was gone - just like that! The glasses gone, money gone, silk scarf gone, credit cards gone. It really was black Friday for them and they spent some time at the police station. Not a nice ending to our stay in Malacca!

Monday, November 9, 2009

DAY 192 - Saturday 31 October - Peturi HarbourHeaded to Danga bay in the fast boat for briefings all morning. They wanted us to bring all our boats to Danga Bay for the official dinner but of course none of us wanted to move our boats once we were safely ensconced into Peturi Marina. Had the briefing and some lunch then when we went to catch the fast boat back it was very very late but when it arrived it had been picked up by the police and were accused of operating a taxi without a licence. They pointed out that they were not receiving remuneration but it made no difference so Peturi put taxis on for us all to get back. The timing of the police picking up our boat was very interesting!! Still no-one took their boat to Danga Bay. Peturi put on buses to take us all in for the official welcome dinner which was unfortunately totally washed out by very heavy rain. We were all sent inside to the restaurants and had to go outside to get the special meal which had been prepared for us and all the officials and sponsors. Must have been devastating for the organisers. By the time the entertainment started it was 10.30 and we had to catch the bus back. They had gone to so much trouble and it was a shame it got rained out thought I think the entertainment went through to the early hours.

DAY 193 - Sunday 1 November - Petur HarbourCaught the Peturi Harbour bus to the brand new shopping centre and did some supermarket shopping. There was another dinner at Dangar Bay but we were dinnered out and stayed at the Harbour and had dinner at the restaurant and then sat on the end of the dock just looking at the view. Some much needed quiet time.

DAY 194 - Monday 2 November - Peturi HarbourWe left at 7.30am to go on the tour which had been arranged for the rally participants. First we were taken to a big mosque - unusual architecture for a mosque. Then to old parliament house where we went to the top to see the view. All of the staff from this building have been or will be moved out to Peturi. We then went to where they make prawn crackers, a pineapple museum, a coconut farm (we think - as they gave people coconut juice to drink - but there was nothing there!). Had a lovely lunch which had been prepared at a Homestay place and then we went to a National Park to see the most southern point in SE Asia. Saw a couple of monkeys who looked a little threatening so Lazy Bones waited for us and we walked past together! Looked at the new Government buildings on the way back. Got back around 5.30 after a long day.

DAY 195 - Tuesday 3 November - Peturi HarbourA day for doing chores - washing etc. Peter went to get immigration clearance, serviced the motor and arranged for fuel and topped up the water.

DAY 196 - Wednesday 4 November - SingaporeLeft on the 9am bus to the bus station to go to Singapore - caught a bus and a train. When we arrived we unfortunately and unknowingly got picked up by a grandfatherly tout. We wanted to go to the Indian Quarter but somehow ended up in the Arab Quarter (I know!!) in a camera shop where we were like rabbits hypnotised by a snake and we believe we got ripped off! The tout then took us to a hotel which was more expensive than we wanted but after the two cheap places he showed us we decided to stay - then we had to pay him $20 for the privilege. Oh well - live and learn though we are still surprised that we were such easy pickings! The hotel was really lovely and we enjoyed the shops in the Arab Quarter. Obviously we don't recommend shopping in Singapore - those days I think are past. In fact we think the place to shop is Malaysia in their beautiful big airy new clean shopping centres where everything is priced and it is 3 ringetts to 1AUD.

DAY 197 - Thursday 5 November - SingaporeHappy Birthday little Rosie girlI got new frames for my broken glasses and found a mah jong set. We caught the train and bus back and shared a cab back to Peturi with Tequila. Dell just made it back and was really ill - in bed for the rest of the day!DAY 198 - Friday 6 November - PeturiA quiet day to catch up and recuperate and skype Amy and Jessie. Checked the flights etc home for Christmas. Went for a late dinner and they had a really good band playing so we joined Cilantro and Wave Sweeper and hung around for a while.

Thats all for now folks - now we get ready for our journey through Malaysia. If it is half as good as Indonesia it will be fantastic.

DAY 185 - Saturday 24 October -Belitung - at sea (night one)Left at 7am with Whistle down the Wind, Cilantro, Kristie 1 and Wave Sweeper. Seas flat, absolutely no wind - motored at 5 knots - have joined the motor boat club!!! Very very hot. Printed off some sail notes, played ludo, read, sat on deck on deck chairs. A few big ships passed. A quiet calm night.

DAY 186 - Sunday 25 October - at sea (night two)Very hot. Meridian called up Wave Sweeper and said he had seized his engine so Geoff immediately headed off to give him a tow. Towed him all the way to Malaysia!!! Lightning all around at night but no storms - still motoring. A little swallow flew around us as we were sitting on the deck - perched at the front but didn't like it there. When we came into the cockpit he settled on the railing beside the cockpit and stayed there all night. At 5.30am he preened himself and flew off to the nearest land. He had cadged a ride for about 70nm. Good company through the night.

DAY 187 - Monday 26 October - at sea - Kentar Island00°03.252N 104°45.666ECrossed the equator at 06.16.16am at longitude 104°54.45E. Anchored at Kentar Island at 8.30am just as Aweia and Brio were leaving. When we came in we went a bit closer to shore. Peter went forward to watch for reef and I was putting my reef sunglasses on and suddenly we were in 5m, 4m, 3m, 2.8m and we made a very sharp turn to starboard and found some more water - whew!!!! Jumped in the water then had a shower, sleep etc. Saw a big water spout out to sea. Went to Cilantro at 5pm for our crossing the equator party. Dave was King Neptune as was Peter, Jean was done up like coral and was a "Bommie Lass"! Sandra had knickers pinned to her chest and was a chest of drawers! And I went as a mermaid with tin foil hair with fish in it (the ones I got at Wakatobe!). We had a very noisy party and rowed back.Miles: 245 Total 4,818

DAY 188 - Tuesday 27 October - Kentar Island to Temiang Island00°22.567N 104°45.6618.508EUpanchored at 8.30am. Whistle headed up the channel through myriads of fish traps etc. Cilantro, Kristie and we headed out around the islands. Spent the day looking out for fish nets between flags and one ran parallel to us for about a mile. Motored all the way. Got in at 4pm. Came in between two islands and shallowest was 18m but then Dell cut the corner too much and was suddenly in 2.4m of water over reef. Another quick turn to starboard!!! At low tide we saw a huge rock sticking out of the water and realised that we must also have gone very close to that!!! A lovely quiet night.Miles 35 Total 4,853

DAY 189 - Wednesday 28 October - Temiang Island to Moratengah Island00°45.574N 103°40.093EHappy Birthday Dell Happy Birthday RichardUpanchored at 7.30am - had the mainsail up and motored all the way! Peter caught a fish. A couple of storms threatened but nothing. Sandra and James sang happy birthday over channel 16 (emergency channel). Dont think it matters much up here though as we are always getting music played or karaoke or whistling and all sorts of things on that channel. After coming round heaps of small boats with fishnets everywhere off quite a big town our first choice of anchorage turned out to be no good. We continued up the channel and anchored in 8m beside the middle island at 4.45pm. The current had been with us so made good time. James picked us all up and took us to Kristie 1 for sundowners. Sandra had baked a birthday cake for Dell and we had a lovely evening.Miles 46 Total 4,899

DAY 190 - Thursday 29 October - Moratengah Isand to Kariman Island01°08.262N 103°22.177EHappy birthday SimoneUpanchored at 7.3am and motored all day. Did not bother to put up the mainsail. Dodged some mile long nets and some kamikaze local boats. Came across some fairly shallow water and our first waypoint was no good for an anchorage, the second too shallow so we eventually went around the island and anchored in 8m water overlooking the Singapore Strait. Could see heaps of huge ships going up and down. A local boat went past very close and shouted and said hullo. This is our last night in Indonesia. It has been such a great trip in a great country with great people. We feel we have just scratched the surface of the place. I think we may be back again one day.

DAY 191 - Friday 30 October - Kariman Island to Peturi Harbour01°25.066N 103°39.552EUpanchored at 6am and headed down the Singapore Straits to find a place to cross. We felt really sad to be leaving Indonesia after all these months. We could see heaps of boats with fishnets out so went on the inside of them with Kristi and Cilantro while Whistle went on the outside. We had a near miss with the nets and Cilantro finally found a way through and we saw a break in the shipping traffic and headed out across the Strait! Dodged a couple of ships on the other side and weaved in and out of huge ships and went up the channel between Malaysia and Singapore. We passed under a bridge with 25m clearance - it was a bit disconcerting looking up and seeing your mast so close to a bridge!!! Called up the Peturi Marina and were allocated a berth (first marina for us since Yorkeys Knob near Cairns). As we got closer a little boat came out to show us the way in and there were people waiting to take our lines so it was pretty easy. Peturi Harbour is a brand new marina currently in the middle of nowhere but the State of Johor has just moved all the public servant departments from the town out to this area into beautiful brand new buildings such as you may find in the Emirates. Our berth was free for the duration of the rally. We got in at 11.30am and then had to head to Danga Bay at the town of Johur Baru for a rally briefing at 4pm. Peturi had a huge flash motor boat which was running hourly to Danga so off we went. The Sail Malaysia celebrations were to be on at Danga Bay which is an older marina with no facilities. It took us 20 minutes in the motor boat. We had a free late lunch then the briefing and then a free dinner followed by cultural entertainment. However it poured down rain before the dinner and all the pretty chair covers and tablecloths got wet. We had dinner and entertainment after the rain and then a band. We were very tired and caught the last motor boat back at 10.30pm and fell in to bed exhausted!Miles 27 Total 4,956

Dell, Peter & Pacific Express

About Us and Our Boat

Pacific Express is a 38 foot steel Ganley Timerider sloop with a 1.8m draft built in New Zealand in 1987. We purchased her Christmas 2004. We have completed the 2009 Indonesian Rally and cruised Thailand. In 2011 we joined the Sail Malaysia to the East rally and saw Borneo and Brunei. 2012 we have circumnavigated Palawan in the Philippines. We have included our anchorages for the Australian coast 2008 & 2009 and our Indonesian and Malaysian anchorages with lats and longs - they appear in the January 2010 entries. We arrived back at Newport Marina, Brisbane on 9th December 2012.